What is early CHildhood Development?
The study of child development aims to understand and elucidate the transformations occurring in children's physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional growth. Child development theory encompasses the entirety of the human lifespan from conception, through prenatal development, birth, infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Child development is categorized into three primary domains. Physical development encompasses the biological changes within the body, spanning genetics, prenatal growth, childbirth, brain development, motor skill acquisition, and health-promoting or hindering behaviors. Cognitive development refers to the age-related advancements in reasoning, memory, language, and intellectual abilities, shaped by interactions within families, schools, and communities. Social-emotional development involves the my changes in emotions, self-perception, motivation, social connections, and moral reasoning and conduct, heavily influenced by interactions with others.